Note: This guide is based on verified repair protocols. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
If your Whirlpool dryer is spinning but not heating, and your clothes are coming out cold and damp, don’t panic. You don’t need to buy a new $800 machine. In 90% of cases, the issue is a simple component failure—usually the Thermal Fuse or the High-Limit Thermostat—costing less than $20.
🎥 The Video Repair Guide
Before we dive into the step-by-step text, watch this excellent 12-minute diagnosis by Josh Cobb. He shows exactly how a “new” heating element isn’t always the fix if you miss the sensors.
🛒 Parts & Tools Checklist (Get These First)
To follow this guide and fix your dryer today, you will need the specific parts mentioned in the video. I have linked the exact OEM-quality kits below so you don’t buy the wrong incompatible part.
-
The “Must-Have” Repair Kit (Includes Fuse & Thermostats):
👉 Check Price for Whirlpool 279838 Repair Kit on Amazon -
Heating Element (Only if yours is broken):
Check Price for Heating Element (279838) -
Essential Tool:
Digital Multimeter (Required for testing)
🔌 Step 1: Access and Safety Check
Safety First: Unplug the dryer from the wall outlet. Never work on a live appliance.
Remove the Back Panel
Unlike some front-load washers, standard Whirlpool dryers are serviced from the back. Use your 1/4″ nut driver to remove the hex-head screws securing the large metal back panel.
🔍 Step 2: Identifying the Components (Video 01:00)
Once the panel is off, look at the right side. You will see a tall silver metal chute. This is the Heater Housing. There are three key components mounted here:
- Top: Thermal Fuse (Thin white plastic strip).
- Middle/Top: High-Limit Thermostat (Round sensor).
- Bottom: Heating Element terminals.
Steve’s Observation (Video 00:50): In the video, the technician notices that while the heating element looks brand new, the High-Limit Thermostat looks old and burnt. This is a classic mistake—replacing the element but re-using a bad sensor!
⚡ Step 3: Testing for Continuity (Video 01:26)
Set your multimeter to the lowest Ohms ($\Omega$) setting or Continuity mode (the one that beeps). You are checking if electricity can flow through the part.
Test the Thermal Fuse (Top)
Place one probe on each terminal of the white thermal fuse at the top.
- Beep / Near 0 Ohms: The fuse is GOOD.
- No Beep / OL (Open Loop): The fuse is BAD (Blown).
In the video [01:38], the technician tests the top switch and gets NO continuity. This confirms the safety switch has tripped.
💡 Quick Fix Tip: If this fuse is dead, do not just bridge it. You must replace it. Get the replacement fuse in this kit.
Test the Heating Element Coil
Even if you found a bad fuse, always check the element. Place probes on the two large terminals near the bottom.
- Video Result [06:30]: The technician confirms continuity through the coil, meaning the element itself is fine.
🛠️ Step 4: The “Wild Card” Fix – Resetting the Thermostat (Video 05:00)
Here is a pro tip you won’t find in manuals. The technician shows a trick for the High-Limit Thermostat.
Sometimes, the internal bimetal plate gets stuck in the “open” position. In the video, instead of buying a new one immediately, he takes the sensor and gives it a sharp whack against the ground (flat side down).
- The Result [05:50]: After the impact, he tests it again, and Continuity is restored!
Warning from Steve: While this “whack” method works to get you running tonight, it is a temporary fix. A sensor that has tripped once is weaker and likely to trip again. We strongly recommend replacing it with a new kit for long-term reliability.
⚠️ Step 5: The Root Cause – Check Your Vents! (Video 02:20)
Why did the fuse blow or the thermostat trip? Heat couldn’t escape.
In the video, the technician opens the lint trap housing [02:50] to check for blockages. Although this machine was relatively clean, a clogged vent is the #1 killer of dryer fuses.
- Action Item: Disconnect your dryer vent hose and clean it out. If you replace the fuse but don’t clean the vent, the new fuse will blow in 2 loads.
✅ Final Summary
As we saw in the video, a dryer not heating is rarely a dead machine. It’s usually a safety switch doing its job because of heat buildup. By following Josh’s steps—testing the continuity and checking the airflow—you can fix this for under $20 in about 30 minutes.